Content-centric networking is known. In such content-centric networking, a routing paradigm is provided for delivery of content in a data network. In particular, requests for content are made to network nodes within the content-centric network and, if a network node receiving that request has a local copy of that content, then this is routed back to the requesting node. However, if a network node does not have that content, then the request is promulgated through the network until the content is returned or, if no content is returned, an error message is provided to the requesting node. Typically, as the content is passed back to the requesting node, a copy of that content may be stored locally by network nodes in order that they have that content accessible, should a subsequent request for that content be made.
Although such an approach enables content to be provided, this is not without its own shortcomings.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved technique for content-centric networking.